I’m interrupting my series on St. Lucia to urge you on to an event tonight in support of a cause that should warrant the attention of any traveler with a curious appetite.
Ten of NYC’s most celebrated chefs will be kicking it up a notch at the third annual benefit for Streets International, Neal Bermas’ non-profit organization that takes kids off the streets and trains them for a future as culinary professionals.
Expect to leave with a good taste in your mouth.
A Street Food Celebration – at NoHo’s Astor Center – will feature tastings of iconic street food from around the globe by local chefs Kenny Callaghan (Blue Smoke), Seamus Mullen (Boqueria), Floyd Cardoz (Tabla), Karen DeMasco (Locanda Verde), and Top Chef’s, Tom Colicchio.
And in honor of the recently established Streets restaurant and training center in Hoi An, there’ll be Vietnamese cooking demonstrations sponsored by The Institute of Culinary Education, an open bar of imaginative libations designed to pair with the evening’s food, and one-of-a-kind NYC wine and dine weekends up for grabs in a silent auction.
A $200 VIP pre-reception offers the chance to mingle with the culinarati and take part in a private cooking demonstration, otherwise tickets are $150 and available at the door or at www.streetsinternational.org
Founded in 2006 after Bermas traveled through Southeast Asia witnessing the plight of so many orphaned youth, what sets Streets apart is a long-term approach that promises kids a chance at a fruitful career. An intensive 18-month curriculum includes professional training in cooking, hospitality service and management, English language and life skills. Trainees then complete their internship with hands-on experience. More importantly, perhaps, they gain the taste – and not just the appetite – for a dignified future.
About Author
